


Alone

by shadowycat



Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling
Genre: Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-11-09
Updated: 2015-11-09
Packaged: 2018-04-30 20:12:21
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 200
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/5178128
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/shadowycat/pseuds/shadowycat
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Many look for help from the dead on Hallowe'en... but not all.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Alone

**Author's Note:**

> This double drabble was a gift to stgulik during the 2015 halloween fest at HP_Halloween on LJ and IJ.
> 
> My thanks to starduchess for the beta. :D

Headmaster Snape stood high on the ramparts of the castle and stared into the night. Far down the valley, a fire burned in the center of Hogsmeade. Though undoubtedly a bonfire of epic proportions, its bright flickering was barely visible from his vantage point.

In his mind, figures capered frantically around the edge of the flames, daring the fire to touch them while they tossed their folded paper wishes or their letters to the dearly missed dead into the greedy blaze. Eyes wide and hopeful watched as sooty fragments spiraled up into the black sky.

Hallowe’en bonfires used to be rare in Hogsmeade, but they’d grown in popularity during the dark time that now enveloped the Wizarding World like a shroud. Fearful people sought comfort and wisdom wherever they thought they might find it, hoping for answers from something higher and wiser than themselves.

Fools! No wisdom, no deliverance, no answers would they get from the dead. The dead had no help to give to the living. The living were on their own. No one knew that better than he did. With a last look at the distant flicker of warmth, he turned away into the cold, bitter darkness. Alone.


End file.
